Two major Metro corridors in Kolkata are poised to be launched on April 24, with final touches being made to civil works and inspections currently underway.
The East-West Metro’s last 2.6km leg between Esplanade and Sealdah, and the Orange Line’s 4.5km Ruby to Metropolitan stretch are expected to be flagged off by the Prime Minister, possibly via virtual mode. The developments mark a significant milestone in Kolkata’s mass transit infrastructure, especially as the city pushes to enhance public mobility and reduce vehicular carbon emissions through metro-based urban connectivity.
While there is no official confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office yet, multiple senior-level meetings were held this week to fast-track readiness for the possible high-profile launch. The East-West Metro, once fully commissioned, will stretch 16.6km from Sector V to Howrah Maidan, transforming how commuters traverse both banks of the Hooghly. The section between Esplanade and Sealdah had earlier undergone rigorous safety testing by the French certifying agency Certifer, which serves as the global independent safety assessor for metro systems. Metro authorities are now pressing for immediate clearance based on the agency’s inspections and are also preparing for safety audits by the state fire services and the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).
On the Orange Line, the Ruby to Metropolitan section has already received CRS clearance for commercial operation. However, work on a key 366-metre stretch linking Metropolitan to Sector V has come to a standstill since February due to pending traffic block permissions from Kolkata Police. This bottleneck has forced the implementing agency Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) to hold back the full 8.5km commissioning of the corridor from Ruby to Sector V, a move that was expected to establish crucial interconnectivity with the East-West Metro. Authorities are now likely to stick with the previously approved Ruby to Metropolitan alignment for Phase II.
These impending launches are seen not only as a solution to Kolkata’s increasing urban mobility challenges but also as a step toward inclusive, eco-friendly infrastructure expansion. The East-West line, with its underground tunnels beneath the Hooghly, is a symbol of engineering ingenuity and resilience, while the Orange Line promises to boost accessibility in the city’s eastern corridor. The move aligns with the larger vision of the Amrit Bharat scheme, under which several railway stations across the state are also undergoing transformation to accommodate future urban and green transport needs.
For the city’s residents, especially daily commuters battling erratic traffic and pollution, the extensions carry both emotional and economic weight. Seamless public transport not only reduces carbon emissions and road congestion but also enhances the quality of life, connecting neighbourhoods with employment hubs and educational institutions. The Metro, as a lifeline of sustainable urban growth, stands as a reminder of what integrated planning and political will can deliver. As Kolkata waits with anticipation, the final approvals in the coming days will determine whether April 24 becomes a historic date in the city’s transport evolution.
